Fluid pump



Oct. 8, 1935. F. E. FlcK FLUID PUMP Filed Jan. so, 193:5

2 SheetsSheet l Snventor PEF/A/A/v E F/CK @gm/@m Gttornegs Oct. s, 1935. F, E, FlCK 2,016,802-

FLUID K PUMP Filed Jan. 30, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @CM/w Ctfornegs Patented Oct. 8, 1935 UNITED STATES' PATENT OFFICE f FLUID PUMP Ferdinand a. Fick, Lakewood; ohio Applicationdanuary 30, 1933, Serial No. 654,156 s claims. (Ci. 10a-irs) This invention relates to improvements in uid displacement pumps and particularly to fluid pumps having a wobble plate for actuating pistons in cylinders.

Broadly the invention contemplates .providing a wobble plate which is adapted to be rotated to drive pistons with means to automatically vary the angularity of the wobble plate to vary the stroke of the pistons.

In fluid pumps adapted for pumping fluids wherein the flow is controlled on the outlet side of the pump, it has been the usual practice to allow the pump to continue operation but to l by-pass the fluid being pumped in order to prevent the fluid pressure from rupturing the conduit which carries the fluid or to prevent breakage within the pump itself. One of such applications is commonly found in re equipment wherein the pumper is always supplying fluid under pressure through a hose which has a shut-off valve at the nozzle. This system has several disadvantages, one being the by-pass may clog with the result that the hose is burst, and another being that such apparatus is short lived due to the continuous wear and strain upon the working parts.

Still another adaptation of this old system is presented in the wet nozzle type of gasoline or fuel dispensing systems. In this system, as with the fire apparatus, the iluid is supplied by a pump under pressure through a meter to a nozzle and the flow is controlled by a shut-olf valve at the nozzle. When the fluid is notl actually being dispensed it is by-passed back into the system. This system entails all of the disadvantages described for the fire equipment. A still further undesirable quality is present in this system. Motor fuels today are of a highly volatile nature and when such a fluid is pumped or recirculated` the agitation of the fluid sometimes causes gas formation within the system which may make the system inoperative and which also affects the exactness with which the fluid can be metered. The high pressure also may b e damaging to delicate meters.

In the present invention, when applied to fluid displacement pumps, all the foregoing named disadvantages are eliminated. Bv means of the automatically adjustable wobble plate the fluid flow may be controlled entirely from the nozzle. The system has the advantage therefore of the wet inozzle system without the disadvantages thereof, namely when the fluid flow is retarded or shut off at the nozzle it is not agitated or by-passed. The control of .llld .119W is attained by automatically adjusting the relative angularity of the wobble plate and driven shaft and therefore the stroke of the pistons. This results in no fluid being pumped or recirculated and merely maintains an even steady pressure upon the fluid. 5

In order to more clearly illustrate my invention recourse is had to the accompanying drawings which illustrate an embodiment thereof as applied to a pump particularly adapted for pumping fluid fuels such asgasolene or the like. 10

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical medial sectional view of the pump showing the position taken by the parts when the fluid is flowing;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the position l5 taken by the parts when the fluid flow is checked;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the cylinder block; and

1Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the valve used in my invention.

Throughout the figures of the drawings like parts have been designated by like reference characters.

As best shown in Figures l and 2, I provide a housing and pump mechanism which may in- 25 clude a cylinder block l provided with a plurality of circumferentially disposed cylinders 2 having their axes parallel to each other. The Walls of the cylinders are preferably provided with liners 3. The upper end of the cylinders communicate 4with conduits rfi. A cylinder head 5 is disposed on the top of the cylinder block l and is provided with a plurality of U shaped conduits t which communicate with the conduits d. Suitable gaskets may be interposed between the cylinder head and the cylinder block, the head being secured to the block by bolts or studs l. The particular pump shown discloses live cylinders, the number of cylinders may; however, be varied and it is not my intention to limit the same thereby.

The cylinder block is provided with a centrally disposed bore 8, enlarged at the upper end adjacent the cylinder .head to provide a valve chamber 9. connected to a. crank case 40,' a suitable gasket being interposed between the block and the crank case, and the block secured tothe crank case by bolts or studs Il.

The crank case has a centrally disposed boss l2 in which is cast a journal I3. The passageway 8 in the cylinder block is counter bored at I6 to provide a seat in which an annular bearing is disposed. The bearing furnishes a support for a driven shaft 20, comprising inner and outer The lower end` of the cylinder block is 45 races I1 and I8 with interposed balls I9, the inner race of the bearing is disposed upon an annular seat 2I on the driven shaft, and the outer race is held in the seat I6 by upsetting the material of the housing surrounding the seat as at 22. Another bearing is provided for the driven shaft near the bottom of the housing and comprises a similar bearing disposed in a counter bore 23 of the boss I2, a seat 24 being provided on the driven shaft for the inner race. The driven shaft is of reduced diameter at 25 and extends through the journal I3 and through a packing gland comprising a packing 26 disposed in an annular channel in the journal I3 and held in fluid sealing engagement with the shaft and journal I3 by a compression member 21 which is urged against the packing by a thrust spring 28 and adjusting cap 29.' The end of the shaft may be connected to a motor, not shown, for rotating the shaft.

The portion of the driven shaft intermediate the bearings is adapted to support thereon a wobble plate mechanism. It is provided with an enlarged central portion tapering in each direction as at 3i and 32. The central portion of the tapered shaft is provided with a transverseaperture 33 in which is disposed a pin 34 which extends outwardly on each side of the shaft to provide trunnions which pivotally support a wobble member 35. The tapering portions 3l and 32 of the shaft are of the proper conical formation to provide a seat to limit and predetermine the maximum angularity to whichthe wobble plate element 35 'may be tilted.

By thus enlarging the shaft at its point of pivot for the wobble member, the wobble member is held against longitudinal movement on its pivotal axis and a greater degree of tilting of the wobble member may be attained.

The wobble element is provided with an annularbearing seat 31 on which is disposed an annular bearing comprising inner and outer races. The edge of the inner race abuts a flange 36 of the wobble element and securely held on the seat and against the flange by a iock nut 38 which is screw threaded on the end of the wobble element. The outer race of the bearing supports a stroke ring 39 of cup shaped formation which seats snugly around the bearing race and is retained thereon by a retaining ring 40. which overlaps the contiguous edges of the wobble plate and outer race and is secured to the stroke ring by screws 5I.

The stroke ring is provided with a plurality of radial arms 52 in which are disposed connecting rod seat bushings 53. The bushings are locked in apertures in the arms by locking rings 54. The bushings 6i are provided with centrally disposed spherical seats 55. The ends of the connecting rods are provided with balls 5B adaptedto rest in the seats and retained therein by the rings 51 which are engaged by the inwardly rolled ing centrally apertured and disposed upon a reduced end 65 on the connecting rod and held thereon by a nut 6.6. A pair of parallel arms 95 extend from the stroke ringv and engage a rod valve chamber 9.

96 embedded in the cylinder block and crank case. The arms are provided with hardened inserts 91 adapted to engage the rod on opposite sides. They prevent the stroke ring from rotating but permit the same to wobble. Ii

Means is provided to retain the wobble element seated in an angular position and includes a member 61 disposed upon the drive shaft below the wobble plate and secured immovably to the drive shaft by a set screw 68 and having a ra- 10 dially extending off-set thrust arm 69 which has at its extremity a socket 10. AThe wobble element 31 carries a corresponding radial lever arm 1I having, a socket 12 disposed in alignment with the socket 10. and seated in the sockets is a helical spring 13 which is inserted into the arms under pressure and is adapted to urge the arms away from each other.

A valve is provided for controlling the ow of 20 iiuid to and from the cylinders and comprises a valve body 15 (Figure 4) having a face 16 adapted to be seated upon a seat 11 in the cylinder head 6 and is adapted to be rotated upon the seat. A channel 18 is provided in the valve 25 and is adapted to connect the conduits ii with exhaust passage 19. The exhaust passage may be threaded to receive a suitable coupling for connection to a delivery hose, not shown. An inlet port 30 is provided through the valve for 3@ admitting uid from the valve chamber te the conduits 3.

An eccentrically disposed downwardly extending boss 3i is provided on the valve. #The boss is bored at 82 on the axial center of the valve 35 to receive the end of the driven shaft. A transverse slot 93 extends through the boss 3l and bore 82 and the driven shaft carries a pin tl adapted to extend transversely of the shaft into said slot adapted to provide a driving connection between the shaft and valve. The end of the boss 8i terminates in a slanting surface 85 slanting toward the greatest radius of the eccentric and merging with a nat thrust surface t3. Resilient means is provided to hold the valve seated 45 and includes a lower thrust collar tl'surrounding the driven shaft and bearing against the edge of the inner bearing race I1. The collar is eccentrically disposed onthe shaft and is provided with a radially extending spring seat iid. A helical spring 89 is disposed about the driven shaft and rests on the seat 88. A substantially similar collar 90 is disposed slidably upon the driven shaft and is engaged by the other end of the spring 39. A drive pin 9i is pressed into an 55 aperture in the collar 90 parallel to the driven shaft axis and has a head which extends into and engages the sides of the slot 33 of the boss 8| to provide a positive drive between the thrust collar and valve, the valve and thrust collars are eccentrically aligned relative to the shaft so that @o the thrust of the collar is applied to the valve at the eccentric portion of the boss on the valve. An inlet 93 is provided in the crank case It Y, adapted to be coupled to an inlet conduit which is connected to a storage tank or the like, not 65 shown. Inlet passages 98 are provided through the cylinder block to permit fluid to flow to the Suitable mounting' means IDU may be provided on the crank case.

It being understood that the inlet 93 is con- 0 nected to a gasoline storage tank or the like, not shown, the mechanism being in a position as shown in Figure 1, the driven shaft is rotated by a motor. within the apparatus, the spring13 between the Interposed between the two arms 15 Y Inasmuch as there is yet no pressure" arms 69 and 'il rotates the wobble member about lits' transverse axis upon the trunnions of the pin '34 until the bore of the wobble member is seated upon seats 3i and 32 of the driven shaft. The

imparts a wobbling motion to the stroke ring, the Vvstroke ring being held against rotation. The

wobbling motion of the stroke ring is communicated to the pistons through the connecting rods 59, imparting reciprocatory motion to the piston within the cylinders. Y A piston being at the top ofthe cylinder, the inlet port 8l) will be aligned with the conduit 6. As the piston goes down into the cylinder, fluid will be drawn through the inlet 93 into'the crankv case through the ducts B8 into the valve chamber and through the inlet port 80,

conduit .6, and passage 4 into the cylinder. When the piston reaches the bottom of the cylinder the valve which has been rotated by the drive shaft 'shaft axis. In this position although now has rotated to a point wherein the inlet opening is closed and the exhaust channel 'it registers with the' conduit ii as shown in the Figures 1 and 2. On the up-stroke of the piston the iluid is expelled throughthe conduits ii, t, and channel 'F8 in the valve and out the outlet i9. This cycle of operation is continuous for all five cylinders as long as the pump is pumping. Should the fluid iiow be retarded by shutting a valve on the end of a nozzle which is connected by a conduit to the exhaust i9 the fluid pressure within the pump will immediately build up. As the pressure' in the pump increases the pistons on the exhaust stroke are unable to expell the iiuid from the cylinders and the pressure therefore prevents them from rising in the cylinder. The movement of the wobble plate continuing and the piston being unable toV move, the pressure isv placed upon the wobble plate through the connecting rods which causes the angularity of the wobble plate to change because of the resiliency of the spring 'i3 be-` tween the arms 69 and il which compresses and permits the wobble element to rotate on its transverse axis 5M until it attains a position as best shown in Figure Z. In this position it can be seen that the drive shaft can still rotate but that no wobbling of the wobble plate occurs because the plane of the wobble plate is at right angles to the the wobble member 35 rotates there is no wobbling movement and therefore no. reciprocatory motion applied to the piston. until the pressure above the pistons becomes less than the pressure necessary to overcome the compression moment of the spring i3. This does not occur until the valve at the nozzle is released permitting iiuid to again flow at which time the pressure above the piston becomes less and the wobble plate is released and urged back to its normal angular operating position as shown in Figure l..

It will thus be seen that the volumetric flow of iiuid in the pump is entirely dependent on the pressure above the pistons; that there is no agitation of the gasoline due to recirculatory action such as-woulol cause the volatile uid to volatilize or form gaseous pockets or the like nor is there any necessity of any by-pass. It will also be seen that during the high pressure periods there is no reciprocation of the pistons in the cylinder and therefore the wear of the mechanism isfreduced to a minimum.

It is to be noted that the fluidfrom the conduit 6 is directed into the exhaust channel 18 of the v valve in such a manner that under ordinary cir- ,valve urging the valve away from its seat.

cumstances it tends to exert a. pressure on the This pressure -is not an equal pressure downward on the entire valve, but is a one-sided pressure due to the location of the channel 18 in the valve and the conduit 6 above the valve. There is therefore a tendency of the valve to wear more on one side of the face than on the other and this is undesirable.

In the present invention this is overcome because of the manner in which the thrust, which urg'es the valve towards the seat, is applied. As described previously, the spring exerts a pressure on the valve eccentric to the valve axis. This is so positioned as to apply the spring pressure to the valve opposite the place where the greatest uid load is upon the valve, hence balancing the valve against such load.

Although the drawings have illustrated the pump as being in a vertical position for ther purpose of the description, it is to be understood that the pump can be disposed in any position; and, although I have described the invention as applied to a gasoline pump, it is also understood that it is not limited to its use thereby but may be used to replace any kind of a pump where varying volumetric displacement is desirable or where a pumping safety factor is desired. The mechanism will operate with any number of cylinders but will always operate on the same principle.

Having thus described an embodiment of my invention and an application of its use I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiment shown without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention which is dened by the appended claims.

I claim:

l. In a valvular mechanism for a uid meter or pump of the wobble plate type including a housing, a drivenshaft, a plurality of cylinders, pistons for the cylinders and a wobble plate for the shaf. t and adapted to impart reciprocating motion to the pistons, said housing valve chamber with channels from the cylinders to the valve chamber and a seat in said chamber, said channels opening through said seat, a rotary valve in said chamber and adapted to seat upon the seat, means to rotate said valve upon the seat the greatest fluid pressure upon'the va'lve'.

2. In a valvular mechanism for a fiuid meter or pump of the wobble plate type including a housing, a drivenshaft, a plurality of cylinders, pistons for the cylinders and a wobble plate for the shaft and adapted to impart reciprocatory motion to the pistons, said housing formed to provide a valve chamber with channels from the cylinders to the valve'chamber, and a seat in said chamber, said channels opening through said seat, a rotary valve in said chamber and adapted to seat upon the seat, means to rotate said valve upon the seat including a connection between the driven shaft and the valve, means to hold the valve resiliently pressed against said seat to over- 'come iiuid pressure against the valve including formed to provide ai connected to the shaft and the pistons to reciprocate the pistons in the cylinders, said housing formed to provide fluid conduits communicating with said cylinders and a valve chamber having a valve seat, said conduits opening through said seat, a valve forA controlling uid flow through said conduits, means to hold said valve seated upon the seat including a spring, eccentric thrust members y,engaged by the spring and adapted to exert pressure against the valve in a direction opposing the fluid pressure upon the valve.

4. In a fluid pump, a housing, cylinders in the housing, pistons in the cylinders, a driven shaft,

a wobble member secured to the driven shaft, a

stroke ring carried by the wobble member and voperatively connected to the pistons to reciprocate the pistons, said housing formed" to provide an inlet, an outlet, and a valve chamber with conduits communicating between the cylinders and the valve chamber, a seat in said valve chamber, said conduits and said outletopening through said seat, said inlets communicating with said valve chamber, means to control fluid flow through the pump including a valve disposed in the valve chamber and seated on said seat, said valve formed to provide an outlet duct and an inlet duct, said outlet and inlet ducts adapted for registering alternately with said ccnduits, a boss upon said valve provided with an axial recess adapted to receive the end of the driven shaft, an eccentrically disposed shoulder on said boss, means to retain said valve resilient-e e ly seated on said seat including, a pair of eccentric thrust members disposed onsaid shaft, a helical spring disposed between vsaid thrust members, oneof said membersibeing held connected in interlocking engagement with the eccentric bosses on said valve, said means being adapted to exert a pressure on the valve spaced from the axial center. of the valve at a point opposite to where greatest fluid pressure is exerted on the valve to balance the valve against said fluid pressure. v

5. In a fluid pump, a housing, cylinders in the housing, pistons inthe cylinders, a driven shaft, a wobble member secured to the driven shaft, a stroke ring carried by the wobble member and operatively connected to the pistons to reciprocate the pistons,spring means for varying theI angularity of the wobble member to vary the amount of reciprocation of said piston, said housing formed to provide an inlet, an outlet and a valve chamber with conduits communicating between the cylinders and the valve chamber, a seat in said valve chamber, said conduits and said `outletopening through said seat, said inlets communicating with said valve chamber, means to control iiuid iiow through the pump including a valve disposed in the valve chamber and seated .on said seat, said valve formed to provide an outlet duct and an inlet duct, said outlet and inlet ducts adapted for registering alternately with said conduits, a boss upon said valve, an axial adapted to exert a pressure on the valve spaced from the axial centery of th valve at a po/int pposite to where greatest i'luid pressure is exerted on the valve to balance the valve against said uid pressure.

6. In a variable displacement fluid pump, a 5 housing, a plurality of cylinders in the housing, pistons reciprocably disposed in the cylinders, means to reciprocate the pistons in theY cylinders including a driven shaft rotatably journalled in the housing, a wobble member transversely pivl0 oted on and rotatable with said driven shaft, a lever arm carried by said wobble member, a thrust arm carried by the ldriven shaft,.spring means supported between said arms and adapted to urge the arms away from each otherv to tilt 16 the wobble member about its transverse pivot, said driven shaft formed to provide a seat about which the wobble member is disposed and adapted to -limit and predetermine the maximum amount of tilting of said wobble member, a stroke 20 ring carried by said wobble member, said wobble member being rotatable` relative to the stroke ring, means to prevent rotation of the stroke ring, and means connecting the stroke ring to said pistons; said housing being formed to provide 25 a valve chamber having a valve seat, conduits connecting said cylinders to said valve chamber and opening through said valve seat, an outlet opening into said valve chamber through said valve seat, an inlet with ducts communicating to said valve chamber; a valve -disposed in said chamber and adapted to be held against said valve seat forcontrolling flow of fluid from the valve chamber to the' cylinders and from the cylinders to the outlet, said v'alve formed to provide 35 an exhaust channel in the valve and an intake port through the valve, said channel and said port adapted to be alternately registered with said conduits, said exhaust channel being in continuous registry with the exhaust opening; an @0 of said boss and rotatable therewith, a spring disposed about the driven shaft and engaging said thrust members to thrust said second thrust member against said valve boss to urge the valve against the seat, the point of application of pressure against said valve being such as to balance the valve against the pressure oi fiuidin said. exhaust channel in said valve.

7. In a uid pump, a housing, cylinders in the '60 housing, pistons in the cylinders, a driven shaft, a wobble member secured to the driven shaft, a stroke ring carried by the wobble member secured to the driven shaft, a, stroke ring carried by the wobble member and operatively connected to the pistons to reciprocate the pistons, said vhousing formed to provide an inlet, an outlet,

and a valve chamber with conduits communicating between the cylinders and the valve chamber, a'seat in said valve chamber, said conduits and said outlet opening through said seat, said inlets communicating with said valve chamber, means to control fluid iiow through the pump including a valve disposed in the valve chamber and seated on said seat, said Valve formed to provide an outlet duct and an inlet duct, said outlet and inlet ducts adapted for registering alternately with said conduits, a boss upon said valve provided with an axial recess for the end of the shaft, said boss provided with an inclined surface, means to retain said valve resiliently seated against the seat comprising, a pair of thrust members disposed about said shaft, and a spring engaging the thrust members to hold one member against the highest portion of the inclined face of the boss on the valve adapted to exert pressure on the valve at a point opposite to the greatest fluid pressure on the valve.

8. In a fluid pump, a housing, cylinders in the housing, pistons-in the cylinders, a driven shaft, a wobble member pivotally secured to the driven shaft, a stroke ring carried by the wobble member and operatively connected to the pistons to reciprocate the pistons, means to hold the wobble member at a'predetermined angular position and to permit the angular position to be varied upon application or predetermined pressure to the pistons, said housing formed to provide an inlet.

an outlet, and a valve chamber with conduits communicating between the cylinders and the valve chamber, a seat in said valve chamber, said conduits and said outlet opening through said seat, said inletsvcommunicating with said valve chamber, means to control uid ow through the pump including a Valve disposed in the Valve chamber and seated on ysaid seat, said valve l formed to provide an outlet duct and an inlet duct, said outlet and inlet ducts adapted for registering alternately with said conduits, a boss upon said valve provided with an'axial `recess for the end of the shaft, said bossprovided with an inclined surface, means to retain said valve resiliently seated against the seat comprising, a pair of thrust members disposed about said shaft, and a spring engaging the thrust members to hold one member against the highest portionV of the inclined face of the boss on the valve adapted to exert pressure on the valve at a. point `opposite to the greatest uid pressure on the valve.

FERDINAND E. FICK. 

